By the people: Shah’s view sought on shadow cabinet

LAHORE: Lahore High Court on Thursday asked Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah to appear in the court and record his comments on shadow cabinet.

Speaking on behalf of the petitioner, Lawyers’ Foundation for Justice, Advocate AK Dogar asked the court to direct the federal and the provincial governments to follow constitutional provisions relating to the cabinet. He asked the court to direct the leader of the opposition to appoint a shadow cabinet and assign duties to cabinet members to keep a check on the cabinet, corruption and governance. He said the shadow cabinet would save the opposition from isolation and allow it to play a more effective role in national affairs. Since opposition parties have been rendered helpless, he said, the majority rule has become dictatorial in nature.

Dogar said the shadow cabinet could scrutinise all activities of the ministries and have full access to the record of every case. He said that formation of a shadow cabinet was the first step towards accountability and financial transparency.

Justice Chaudhry Masood Jahangir asked Shah to appear in the court and adjourned the case until September 16.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9^th, 2016.